From economist to housewife, through shop floor worker and student, the world's plight is putting this question on everyone's lips: “Where do we go from here?”
Its also the title of the second album from Robin Foster, a British musician living in France.
You might not recognise his name but his music could have underscored your television pleasure as tracks from his debut "Life Is Elsewhere" have been used by Hugo Boss, Barclay's and the US show 'One Tree Hill'.
Robin's latest mix of cool/dark instrumentals and songs features the south's Dave Pen the singer from Birdpen and Archive.
“It was an instant click between us so it just naturally transpired that we we would do something together,” Robin explained. “I was working on the new album and asked him if he fancied singing on a couple of tracks. Those 2 songs soon became 4 and so we got him over to record them. Then we had a free day in the studio and wrote another on the spot, that was the best part because I'd never worked with anyone so easily before. It was very liberating, we're completely on the same wavelength.”
And as you'd expect Dave feels the same: “I liked his instrumentations and it felt natural to write lyrics to his music. Also the fact he was an Englishman working in France had a similarity with the musical projects I am involved in and we also connected as people which made working on these songs enjoyable and slightly mad.”
The most important aspect for Robin was the enthusiasm Mr Pen brought to the project: “I love Dave's voice, he throws himself into it, he really brings a whole new dimension to the songs, it stops you in your tracks.”
The songs Dave has written lyrics for, and also poured his soul crushed vocals onto, are: “A collapsing light”, “Concrete Skies”, “Forgiveness”, “Black Mountain” and the almost
pop “Wait for her”.
I asked Dave if album's title alluded to a global or inner perspective: “Its a more personal statement. The songs are about guilt, loss, hope and love, not about the state of the economy and the state of our beloved planet earth. That's in another project you will hear about soon !!”
And many Birdpen fans around Europe are busting for news about that almost album finished!
However Robin takes us a little deeper into the background of the title: “It is also a personal statement regarding two very close friends who died while I was making the album, sparking that eternal question of "what's next?"... It has many connotations really, it's also a natural follow on from the first album's title "Life Is Elsewhere". This is the next step so to speak, though it's not just a negative question, it's also a hopeful one, the whole album has the recurring theme of a light in the dark. ”
For the record I think its a great listen. There is a fine balance between Robin's instrumentals and the songs he and Dave have produced: they are like pauses during an evening's conversation. And the answer to the album's question? Onwards and upwards for both artists.
Robin Foster’s upcoming live concert will feature special guest singers Dave Pen (Archive & BirdPen) et Ndidi O at the Transmusicales de Rennes, a major French music festival, Friday 2nd December.
Jean-Louis Brossard, organisateur du festival, dévoile son artiste «Coup de coeur», Robin Foster pour ces 33ème Rencontres des Transmusicales de Rennes, au Parc Expo Hall 4, vendredi 2 Décembre à 22h00.
You can visit the festival’s website : www.lestrans.com